Kakapo comeback: New Zealand's heaviest parrot climbs to 325 after record 2026 breeding season

New Zealand’s critically endangered kakapo, the world’s heaviest parrot, has surged to 325 birds after 90 chicks were added from the 2026 season—the peak of three decades of predator-free island management, intensive monitoring, genetic work, and breeding control that began with just 51 birds in 1995. Breeding is tied to rimu mast years and occurs only every two to four years, making each season crucial; scientists also employ rapid DNA sexing and careful egg/chick management. Despite the milestone, the species remains critically endangered and conservationists aim to expand safe habitat and gradually reduce human intervention to build a more self-sustaining population, potentially returning kakapo to Stewart Island in the long term.